The present invention relates to data communications, and more particularly, to communication systems for requesting and receiving data from a remote data source by multiple users.
Data communications continue to pervade more aspects of business and personal communications as the technology develops. The increased use of electronic systems to communicate, such as via e-mail, the worldwide web, and various global networks, has brought increased dependence on the availability of such systems. Although many offices and homes are well-connected, mobile data communications are less mature.
Problems associated with mobile data communications are particularly acute on commercial aircraft. Commercial aircraft passengers demand faster and cheaper access to information sources used in their offices and homes, but many options are expensive, impractical, or unavailable. For example, many mobile communications systems rely on cellular modems to connect a computer to a service provider. Cellular systems, however, generally cannot be used on aircraft for a variety of technical and regulatory reasons. In addition, separate long-distance calling charges for each individual caller can be quite expensive.
As another alternative, passengers on commercial aircraft may connect to a service provider using the dedicated air-to-ground telephones available to passengers on some aircraft. Access charges for such telephones, however, are high, especially for low rate or high content data transfers requiring considerable time to complete the transaction.
A communications system for networking various users according to various aspects of the present invention may comprise an information distribution system, a data source, and a server/router coupled to the information distribution system and the data source and adapted to route information requested from the data source to the information distribution system. The data source may comprise any conventional data source, such as an internet service provider. The information distribution system is coupled to the server/router by any appropriate medium, such as cable, wireless LAN, or telecommunications networks. Similarly, the server/router is coupled to the data source by any appropriate medium, such as wireless LAN, VHF radio signal, or satellite link, and the type of connection may vary according to the availability of various communications media.